Effects Of Long Term Amitriptyline Use On The Heart (Page 2)

After 20 years of taking amitriptyline for headaches I would like to find people who have had any heart related side effects after long term amitriptyline use.

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I'm 60 and have been on amitriptyline for decades. I went through a spell of high anx / panic attacks in the 80's coupled with chronic back pain and insomnia. I resisted taking meds for years but by then I needed serious help. Looking back, it was a smart choice by my doctor, it addressed all of the above and was gradually able to get back on my feet with my career etc. with 50 mg @ day.

After several years I was on 25 mg a day and decided to try going off it cold turkey. At first I was edgy but it was tolerable. But after a few weeks I started having panic attacks again (which are living hell and therapy didn't help to reduce them). I don't do well on Xanax type meds so I tried an SSRI... terrible results, felt like I was mainlining caffeine. It was terrifying, I thought I'd have to check into a pschc ward. So I went back on amitriptyline, but.... now I had to take 250 mg to be as effective as it was previously and have had to maintain that much ever since.

I'm concerned about having taking so much of it for so long. It's a dirty old medication, I don't have dry mouth etc anymore but it bumped my resting pulse rate up 20 bpm and I have heart palpatations when I get over stressed or dehydrated. But it seems to be the only thing that works of me. I also tried switching to nortriptyline but it was over stimulating like SSRI's for me.

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I am 60 and started Amiltryptiline at 27, ostensibly for depression, but I did not actually feel depressed, I had had long term insomnia. It worked like a charm.

At that time I had to have an ECG and I was given an ECG every 5 years thereafter. I am guessing the Canadian health system decided not to cover ECGs for this purpose, because all of a sudden the ECGs became 'unnecessary'. There is a documented relationship between heart problems and Amiltryptiline *for some people*.

This is the second time I have tried to stop Amiltryptiline. The first time I went down from 100mg to 50. Colours became very bright, sounds very loud and life a little surreal. I decided to wait for a time when I could rest and take it easy before I tried again.

That time came 3 weeks ago. This time it was different. Almost nothing happened. I had sleep disturbances for a few nights, by the end of the week they were completely gone. Nothing else happened except that I feel better, much more relaxed and focused a little healthier and rid of most of the horrendous dry mouth.

I am going to try to stop the last 50 mg. shortly.

I don't know what to expect.

For me cutting down effected me completely differently the first time I tried and it was extremely unpleasant.

I am at a loss to explain why I had no problems this time, except that I was able to stay in a calm quiet environment.

So there it is.

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I was prescribed amitriptyline about 30 years ago for severe headaches. Nothing had worked in the past, and I think I went through about a dozen different meds prior to this. All it took was one 25 mg dose and my headaches were gone! Over time, my doctors have increased the dosage to 50 mg., taken 1 to 2 times daily, due to what we thought might be stress-related headaches that began several years ago. Amitriptyline is cheap to come by, so I have considered myself lucky. However, as I age, I am developing problems I am not comfortable with, such as significant neck pain, light headedness, and weakness. I take other medications for increasing hypertension and diabetes, so I can't absolutely blame the amitriptyline. I've spent a fortune on chiropractic care, with no lasting improvement, so I'm trying massage therapy and the use of a support belt, to relieve the neck pain. I follow an exercise and strength-building regimen, as well as a very strict diet, but I sure haven't seen any real gains in energy or strength. I am curious as to whether my deteriorating health (blood sugar issues, hypertension, reduced motor skills) is being helped or hindered by the amitriptyline. Several years ago, I tried getting off it, but I was unsuccessful, experiencing a lot of nausea and pretty awful headaches. I later found out that a better method is to take it every other day, then gradually reduce the amount taken. Yes, I too was told that amitriptyline isn't physically addictive, but it sure seemed like it was when I tried to quit. I will be talking to my doctor soon about the long-term efficacy of taking amitriptyline and if taking it is impacting my overall health. That should prove interesting.

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Here's what I did to get off Elavil (amitriptyline.) Reduce the dosage by 5 mg per month. That method was recommended to me by a psychiatrist. I was coming off a nightly dose of 50 mg. It may seem slow, but why hurry?

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I have been taking amitriptyline for almost 30 years. I have two side effects, my heart skips a beat now and I have serious memory losses. Enough to keep me from working effectively now.

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Amitriptylene has been around since the 1960s so it is known that there are no longterm side effects waiting to appear. I think a lot of people who have posted here are blaming it for unrelated problems. I've taken 50mg for 20 years, the only side effects are slight weight gain, tiredness (make sure you get enough sleep) and occasional dry mouth on waking, a small price to pay for getting your life back. g

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I have recently read the side effects and studies citing amitriptyline's direct action on memory centers of the brain. I have taken it for 20 years before discovering that it may be a contributing factor to my early onset memory loss. Hopefully it will be reversible once I attempt to stop the medication. Does anyone know if the memory problems stop once cessation of the drug takes place?

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Hi, you are probably long off this by now, but I would suggest skipping one day of the week for a month, then two days (not consecutive) until you eventually get down to every second day, then every third day etc.
My Mum is 78 now and has been on this since she was 32. She is suffering terribly with memory issues. I am still not sure if it is the Amitryp or not, but I can't imagine it helped. She was up around 250mg at one stage when her back pain was really bad. She is now on 75. She was also taking 10mg of Diazepam daily. Thankfully she is off that.

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Your way is the right way to get off this med. I dropped it (50 mg) cold turkey and after sleeping approx 4 hrs a nite for a year I started taking it again.

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I certainly hope you are right because I have been taking it for 30 yrs started at 100mg and I am down to 20. Have been experiencing memory loss big time.

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Hi, I am 48 and started taking amitriptyline for daily migraines...... dose of 12 mg has worked wonders for me so far, good sleep and better functional performance ..... I am not sure of memory as yet, and have no side effects other than I hate to have intercourse at night due to sedation effects....

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I think a lot of people on this site are in denial, your symptoms are the classic symptoms of GROWING OLD. I've taken 50mg daily for 20 years and have no complaints.

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I've been having issues with my heart. I've had the event monitors and testing these past couple months. My cardiologist was leaning towards Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia and referred me to an Electrophysiologist who I saw today..7/15/15 he believes that my Amitriptyline is the cause of my fast palpitations. I have been on this medicine since 2007. It was given to me to try to prevent my migraines. So now I need to stop taking it to see if it's causing my heart issues...

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Yes I am the same,but they treat belemik suffers with it as after taking them your hungry but as I only take them at night I get hungry at night so that's when the weight piles on. And my back muscles are so weak with 150gm a night. But I don't sleep if I don't take them I tried 3 days I was awake I caved in.
Lynora x

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Hiya I really want to come off them I take 150gm a night and so fed up of all the weight gAin't and the drinking all the time as the dry mouth is horrid

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I had open heart surgery 2 years ago, and many side effects & drug interactions with amitriptaline. I am down to 10 mg from 100 after 30 years and already losing weight and feeling better. Sooner you stop the better off you will be

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I had open heart surgery 2 years ago, and many side effects & drug interactions with amitriptaline. I am down to 10 mg from 100 after 30 years and already losing weight and feeling better. Sooner you stop the better off you will be. I am cutting the 10 mg in half and see what happens. I now have dental implants, very bad Constipation, nerve problems and many other problems which seem to be improving with the decrease. Good Luck

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Not sure about how it affects the heart but when I stopped taking it my bladder has spasms and makes think I have to pee even when it's just drops. Worse is that it's been several years and this symptom is not going anywhere. I've heard that it's like a drug you should detox slowly with help....otherwise you get these weird side effects that last forever. I've also heard this is a problem with all SSRI's as it creates unnatural physical reactions since the drug itself is not good. Personally I believe it was invented for mind control as every crazed gunman on the news has been on them.

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Biggie, if you are an older female the bladder problems are more than likely age and hormone related.

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But have you ever tried stopping?

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